Tape type work conveying method and conveying apparatus

Abstract

A tape type work conveying method and apparatus conveys works placed in placing portions on a conveying tape to an opening surface portion, and causes a robot device to pick up or place works in synchronism with a parts assembling apparatus or a parts manufacturing apparatus. In the tape type work conveying apparatus, a cover tape is arranged to cover opening portions of the placing portions of the conveying tape. The tape type work conveying apparatus includes a first reel for fixing end portions of the conveying tape and the cover tape, a second reel for fixing an end portion of the conveying tape, a third reel for fixing an end portion of the cover tape, drive assemblies for respectively causing the first, second, and third reels to perform pivotal movements, an intermittent driver which drives the conveying tape, a controller for controlling the drive assemblies and the intermittent drives, and a first detector for detecting to-be-detected portions arranged near the opening surface portion and arranged at substantially the same intervals as the placing portions of the conveying tape. The works are picked up or placed while synchronizing the apparatuses on the basis of the detection result from the first detector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for operating a workpiece handling apparatus having a main controller and a robot hand and being interconnected to a tape conveying apparatus with the tape conveying apparatus having a conveying tape with a plurality of successive placing portions for placing and conveying workpieces, a cover tape for covering openings of the placing portions on the conveying tape, a first reel for fixing end portions of the conveying tape and the cover tape and simulatneously taking up the conveying tape and the cover tape, a second reel for fixing an end portion of the conveying tape and taking up only the conveying tape, a third reel for fixing an end portion of the cover tape and taking up only said cover tape, drive assemblies for rotatably driving the first, second, and third reels, an intermittent driver for intermittently driving the conveying tape, a controller for controlling the driver assemblies and the intermittent driver, a first detector for detecting indicating portions on the conveying tape to indicate the placing portions, and a guiding mechanism for interconnecting the workpiece handling apparatus and the tape conveying apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: interconnecting the workpiece handling apparatus and the tape conveying apparatus together;   connecting the main controller of the workpiece handling apparatus and the controller of the tape conveying apparatus;   winding the conveying tape and cover tape;   detecting the indicating portions on the conveying tape with the first detector to determine the placing portions on the conveying tape;   manipulating the robot hand to pick up or place workpieces in the placing portions on the conveying tape;   synchronizing the mainpulating step with movement of the placing portions to precisely pick up or place the workpieces in the placing portions based on the detecting indicating portions;   driving the first reel and the intermittent driver on the basis of the detection result from the first detector when the workpieces are manipulated after the tape conveying apparatus is guided and positioned with respect to the workpiece handling apparatus; and   detecting with a second detector a detection member arranged near an end portion of the cover tape fixed to the third reel for indicating that the conveying tape is almost full of workpieces.   
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1, further including the steps of outputting a warning to the main controller on the basis of the detection by the second detector, counting the empty placing portions remaining on the conveying tape, and stopping the tape conveying apparatus when the remaining count of the placing portions becomes zero. 
     
     
       3. A method for operating a workpiece handling apparatus having a main controller and a robot hand and being interconnected to a tape conveying apparatus with the tape conveying apparatus having a conveying tape with a plurality of successive placing portions for placing and conveying workpieces, a cover tape for covering openings of the placing portions on the conveying tape, a first reel for fixing end portions of the conveying tape and the cover tape and simultaneously taking up the conveying tape and the cover tape, a second reel for fixing an end portion of the conveying tape and taking up only the conveying tape, a third reel for fixing an end portion of the cover tape and taking up only said cover tape, drive assemblies for rotatably driving the first, second, and third reels, an intermittent driver for intermittently driving the conveying tape, a controller for controlling the driver assemblies and the intermittent driver, a first detector for detecting indicating portions on the conveying tape to indicate the placing portions, and a guiding mechanism for interconnecting the workpiece handling apparatus and the tape conveying apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: interconnecting the workpiece handling apparatus and the tape conveying apparatus together;   connecting the main controller of the workpiece handling apparatus and the controller of the tape conveying apparatus;   winding the conveying tape and cover tape;   detecting the indicating portions on the conveying tape with the first detector to determine the placing portions on the conveying tape;   manipulating the robot hand to pick up or place workpieces in the placing portions on the conveying tape;   synchronizing the mainpulating step with movement of the placing portions to precisely pick up or place the workpieces in the placing portions based on the detecting indicating portions;   driving the second reel and the intermittent driver on the basis of the detection result from the first detector when the workpiece in the placing portions are placed in the parts handling apparatus after the tape conveying apparatus is guided and positioned with respect to the parts handling apparatus; and   detecting with a third detector a detection member arranged on an end portion of the cover tape fixed to the first reel for indicating that remaining count of workpieces on the conveying tape is small.   
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 3, further including the steps of detecting slack in the cover tape, and driving the drive assembly of the third reel on the basis of detected slack in the cover tape. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 4, further including the steps of outputting a warning signal to the main controller based on the detection by the third detector, counting the placing portions on the conveying tape occupied by workpieces, and stopping the handling apparatus when the remaining count of occupied placing portions becomes zero. 
     
     
       6. A tape-type workpiece conveying apparatus comprising: a workpiece handling apparatus having means for assembling or manufacturing workpieces, said workpiece handling apparatus having a main controller and a robot hand for manipulating the workpieces;   a tape conveying apparatus comprising a conveying tape having a plurality of successive placing portions for placing and conveying works, a cover tape for covering openings of the placing portions of said conveying tape, a first reel for fixing end portions of said conveying tape and said cover tape and simultaneously taking up said conveying tape and said cover tape, a second reel for fixing an end portion of said conveying tape and taking up only said conveying tape, a third reel for fixing an end portion of said cover tape and taking up only said cover tape, driving means for rotatably driving said first, second and third reels and winding said cover tape and said conveying tape, intermittent drive means for intermittently driving said conveying tape, control means for controlling said driving means and said intermittent drive means, first detection means for detecting indicating portions on said conveying tape to indicate the placing portions, and guiding means for interconnecting said tape conveying apparatus with said workpiece handling apapratus;   second detection means for detecting a detection member arranged near an end portion of said cover tape fixed to said third reel and indicating that said conveying tape is almost full of workpieces;   third detection means for detecting a detection member arranged on an end portion of said cover tape which is integrally fixed to said conveying tape, and indicating that the amount of workpieces remaining on said conveying tape is small; and   warning means connected to said second and third detection means for warning an operator of the results of said second and third detecting means; wherein   said main controller is connected to said control means and the workpieces are manipulated by said robot hand in synchronism with movement of the placing portions of said conveying tape as detected by said first detection means.   
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said placing portions of said conveying tape comprise recess portions integrally formed with said conveying tape in correspondence with outer shapes of the workpieces. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said indicating portions are holes formed near the recess portions, and said first detection means comprises an optical sensor for detecting the holes. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said cover tape is formed of a non-transparent resin material. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first detection means detects the indicating portions arranged substantially at the same intervals as said placing portions, and detects an origin position. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said second and third detection means are arranged to oppose each other in a widthwise direction of said cover tape, and are arranged between said third reel and an opening surface portion where said conveying tape and said cover tape are adhered together.